In the FCS Huddle: The power of believing

Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - There is a stark difference this season
between the FCS program that is seeking its third straight national
championship and the only one to have achieved the feat before.

North Dakota State, the two-time defending champion, steps onto the field as if
earning the three-peat is its birthright.

The Appalachian State program that won three straight national titles under
then-coach Jerry Moore from 2005-07 has lost the confidence in which teams feed
off and carry them at all times. The Mountaineers are a stunning 1-4 - their
worst after five games since 1993.

This was going to be a "lost" season to begin with because App State isn't
eligible for the Southern Conference title or an FCS playoff berth as it
transitions out of the FCS toward the FBS. But under first-year coach Scott
Satterfield, an assistant on the three national championship teams, it's a
season full of too many unexpected losses. Satterfield has been swallowed up by
criticism amid all the rattled nerves.

North Dakota State, on the other hand, is exactly where it expected to be at
this point - focused and unbeaten, fending off all challengers, which now
includes an FBS opponent (Kansas State) and a pair of Top 10 Missouri Valley
Conference rivals (South Dakota State and Northern Iowa).

Against UNI on Saturday, the top-ranked Bison never led or were tied in the
game after the No. 4 Panthers jumped ahead with an early field goal until Sam
Ojuri powered his way into the end zone on a 19-yard run and Adam Keller kicked
the extra point with 2:52 to play, making it 24-23 NDSU.

The best defense in the land then took over and wiped out two final UNI drives
to finish off the win, which makes the Bison 33-2 since the start of the 2011
season - although the final loss in 2010 was a true confidence-builder as they
went to overtime in the FCS quarterfinals before falling to the eventual
national champion, Eastern Washington.

"That's an X-factor (confidence) that's difficult to put your finger on," NDSU
coach Craig Bohl said leading up to the victory over UNI. "But I think because
we have so many seniors, we're playing with more maturity than we ever had, and
that might lead to more confidence.

"If something doesn't go exactly right, these guys don't get too rattled and I
think the Kansas State game was (an example). We gave up two touchdowns where
we had lost receivers. But our guys kept battling in there and made some
adjustments. Certainly our maturity level has helped and that's probably led to
we're playing with a great deal of confidence."

TOP 25 SCOREBOARD

A roundup of games in The Sports Network FCS Top 25 can be found at
http://tinyurl.com/nkvsy89.

STOCK RISING, STOCK FALLING

Rising: The Ivy League's later start to the season hasn't kept Princeton and
Yale from showing they are ready to challenge perennial powers Harvard and Penn
for the title. On Saturday, Princeton (2-1) scored at least 50 points for the
second straight game, while Yale (3-0) stunned Cal Poly, 24-10, in the first-
ever meeting of Ivy and Big Sky Conference members. Both teams are getting huge
seasons out of unheralded quarterbacks, Princeton's Quinn Epperly and Yale's
Henry Furman.

Falling: Central Arkansas is going to have to get on a serious roll in its
Southland Conference schedule, having been flattened by McNeese State, 59-28.
The Bears only have wins over Incarnate Word and Missouri State, with Nebraska-
Kearney up next. That's not the way for them to build another playoff resume
should they not secure their conference's automatic bid again.

STREAK OVER?

New Hampshire fell to 1-3 with a 44-28 loss at No. 3 Towson on Saturday. That
could be enough to push the Wildcats, who were ranked 19th this past week, out
of The Sports Network FCS Top 25 on Monday for the first time since the 2003
preseason poll.

Coach Sean McDonnell's program has been ranked in 131 straight polls, which is
83 more than Montana State's second-longest active run at 48.

AROUND THE NATION

Like Appalachian State, FBS-bound Georgia Southern (3-2) may not quite ride off
high into the FBS sunset, having now lost two Southern Conference games. The
Eagles have allowed 95 points to three conference opponents after opening the
season with two easy non-conference home games. The two Sun Belt-bound programs
will meet as FCS opponents for the last time on Oct. 26 at Appalachian State.
... Tennessee State (5-1) has flown under the radar this season, but might be
ready to join the Top 25 after its fifth straight win, 40-16 over Southeast
Missouri State. Telvin Hooks' 159 rushing yards and a touchdown helped control
the game clock. But SEMO wasn't going to keep the ball for long when Lewis
Washington can score on a 99-yard run, as he did. ... With Wynrick Smothers
collecting a Central Arkansas-record 524 total yards in a loss to McNeese
State, four of the five 500-yard games of total offense this season are in
defeats. ... You almost think it's a misprint: Montana's Anthony Goodwin had
nine passes defended (seven breakups and two interceptions) in a 55-27 win over
Portland State. ... Cornell senior quarterback Jeff Mathews became the Ivy
League's all-time passing yardage leader, increasing to 9,303 yards in a 41-20
loss to Cornell. In that game, Colgate quarterback Gavin McCarney reinjured his
knee and freshman Jake Melville came off the bench to lead four second-half
scoring drives. ... South Carolina State senior quarterback Richard Cue has
been terrific this season, guiding the Bulldogs to four straight wins,
including 29-24 over previously unbeaten North Carolina A&T. ... Marist senior
quarterback Chuckie Looney set the school's career record for passing yards -
moving to 4,874 - and the Red Foxes recorded their first shutout in four years,
37-0 over Valparaiso in the Pioneer Football League. ... In Saint Francis'
38-29 loss to Central Connecticut State, Red Flash running back Kyle Harbridge
finished with 179 yards on 29 carries, giving him the new school record for
career rushing yards (3,439). ... Duquesne's first three touchdowns were scored
by the defense - two interceptions and a fumble return - in a 27-14 win over
Division II West Liberty. ... Speaking of defense, Mississippi Valley State
earned its first win by grabbing five interceptions and limiting Alabama A&M's
two quarterbacks to 3-of-21 passing in a 28-9 win. Avery Boykin had a 52-yard
interception return for a TD. ... Alabama State racked up eight sacks and
forced three turnovers in a 34-2 smothering of Texas Southern. ... Monmouth's
running duo of Julian Hayes and Kwabena Asante have gone over 100 rushing yards
in four straight games, including a 35-9 win over Robert Morris which was the
Hawks' third straight in improving to 3-3. ... NFL prospect Walter Powell
continues to play at a high level. The Murray State wide receiver/punt returner
had 310 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns, including on an 88-yard
punt return, in the Racers' 35-24 win over Tennessee Tech. Murray State is a
surprising 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference. ... South Dakota
gained its first-ever Missouri Valley win after freshman Miles Bergner kicked a
41-yard field goal with 1:24 remaining for a 17-14 victory over Missouri State.
... Illinois State (2-3) turned the game over to sophomore Marshaun Coprich,
who rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns - both career highs - in a much-
needed, 35-21 victory over Western Illinois. ... Ross Scheuerman's 78-yard
touchdown run helped him to 280 all-purpose yards in Lafayette's first win,
31-7 over Bucknell. In the loss, Bucknell's Kyle Sullivan was forced into 13
punts. ... Tommy Gooden rushed for 214 yards and four touchdowns as Jackson
State kept defending SWAC champion Arkansas-Pine Bluff winless, 42-33. ...
Running back Ezekiel Graham sat out with an injury as Sacramento State (3-3)
beat Northern Colorado, 37-21, and improved to 2-0 in Big Sky games for the
first time in its 18 years in the conference. ... Cal Poly's Bobby Zalud kicked
an FCS-season high 53-yard field goal against Yale and Liberty's John Lunsford
connected on a 52-yarder against Old Dominion.

A LOOK AHEAD

The Week 7 action isn't full of marquee games, although Villanova at Towson is
an important matchup of the two teams picked highest in the CAA Football
preseason poll.

On Thursday, there's a key game in the MEAC: South Carolina State at North
Carolina Central.